What is our purpose in life? What is it that really matters? Are we looking for recognition and admiration from others on earth, or are we looking to glorify God and to be glorified by God? Life is such that many of us want to be praised; to ‘save face’; to be liked by others around us; to be popular. No one wants to be mocked, made fun of or ridiculed. No one wants to be unpopular or rejected. We want to be seen as the “good guy” or “good girl.”
But the fact is, we cannot always have our cake and eat it. We cannot always be the “good guy” or “good girl” and we cannot please everyone, if we want to follow Jesus. For example, we see a lot of gossipping, politics and in some cases, stealing of items in the office. If we want to be honest and be the “good guy” or “good girl,” instead of following the crowd, we may find ourselves ostracised, or others may think we are queer. By being honest, we may lose business or have less chances to get a raise in salary or a promotion. For those of us studying in school or at university, we may discover that some of our classmates are cheating in exams or bribing certain lecturers or teachers or treating them in a special way (some call this “curry-favouring”), and we may lose out in getting better grades or better treatment as a result of refusing to follow their deeds. By remaining faithful to Jesus, we may find ourselves receiving insults, opposition, ridicule or even threats from others, including our family members and some so-called friends. Some people would think we are naive, stupid, silly or just dumb, and we may not be very popular. Are we ready and prepared to face all these?
This is the reality we face and the choices we need to make. This is the way Jesus took. Instead of conforming to the ways of the world, Jesus chose the Way of the Cross. Instead of self-glory, self-gratification and boosting one’s prestige and ego, Jesus chose humility and servitude. Instead of being first at all cost, Jesus chose to be last. Instead of losing life by gaining everything, Jesus chose to lose everything for the kingdom of God. The way that Jesus chose is described to us in the second reading: “His state was divine, yet Christ Jesus did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.” If we call ourselves Christians, if we want to follow Jesus, then this too must be our fate. We must be prepared to face insults, opposition, humiliation and even the possibility of death, just as Jesus did. To follow Jesus means we must be prepared to be treated like Jesus, and be a sign of contradiction to the world.
All this may sound quite depressing or discouraging to some. Some may want to give up and say that it is impossible to live in this world and follow Jesus. The fact is, Jesus never promised us an easy life and He never said that following Him is going to be a piece of cake. But for those of us willing to go through what Jesus did and follow Him faithfully, the Lord will be our strength, our support, our guide, and our providence, as Isaiah assures us: “The Lord comes to my help, so that I am untouched by the insults.” Even though Jesus received rejection and humiliation from the hands of men, St. Paul in the second reading tells us that “God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names”. Being glorified by God is far greater, far more lasting, far more satisfying in the long run, and far more important than any insult or rejection we may receive from men.
This Palm Sunday and the many Palm Sundays to come, let us make a commitment to follow Jesus and remain faithful to Him, even when the going gets tough. Let us take up our crosses and follow Jesus, for we know that God will give us a glory more precious and lasting, which we can never find on earth. Are we willing to lose eveything, including our lives on earth for the glory of God? Are we willing to let God lead us to our true and everlasting home?